The course is more than language: the Integration Course certificate (B1 + the LiD test) directly speeds up PR and satisfies the citizenship language requirement.
Your Right to the Course — and How to Claim It
600 hours of German to B1 plus 100 hours of orientation. New permit holders often have an entitlement; benefit recipients attend free.
✓ Verified: 15/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
AUTHORITY
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)
Federal agencyThe integration course and the citizenship test run through the BAMF. Find a course and school near you via BAMF-NAvI.
COSTS
- €Own contribution €2.29 per lesson, full course ~€1,600
the rate is set by the BAMF, not by statute: § 9 (1) IntV = 50 % of the reimbursement rate; free on benefits, 50 % back if you pass within 2 years
› Details and tips
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Max recommends:
I applied for admission myself via the BAMF form, without a school as middleman: the decision came in 3 weeks. Schools gladly help with the application but tie it to themselves — compare two options before signing.
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Lea recommends:
Ask about evening part-time or online formats: BAMF allows working people to combine, and good providers run evening groups. Nobody needs to quit a job for the course.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I have the entitlement certificate — how long is it valid? ▾
One year from issue: the course must start within it. Expired — request a new one, the entitlement usually remains.
I am not obliged to attend — is the course still worth it? ▾
Voluntarily it is most valuable: the same subsidy without pressure. B1 plus the Life in Germany test speed up permanent residence and citizenship and end the language question in interviews.
I work and receive no benefits — am I entitled? ▾
Admission is open to most permit holders; you pay the contribution (about half the cost), BAMF funds the rest. Pass the test on time and half your contribution comes back.
I am beyond zero — sit through 600 hours? ▾
No: the placement test assigns modules. With solid A2 you start midway and pay only your modules.